Page 62 of Of Realms and Chaos

“Cover your ears, My Prince.” Whipping around, I saw Bronagh, her furious gaze trained on the soldiers coming from the North. I did as she said, pressing my hands to my ears and willing a bubble of air to pocket me, acting as a sort of sound barrier.

I knew what was coming.

When the female opened her mouth and let out a piercing wail, not even my power could save me from nearly fainting from the sound. Her Sun magic lit up her eyes, the last of her light she possessed after losing Isa—after her magic morphed into something new and strange, the death of her daughter too great to bear.

As the banshee screamed, the sound shredded through the ears of the coming fae, every single one of them falling to the ground and convulsing. When their heads began bursting, blood and brain matter flying into the sky before raining back down, I reinforced my air shield. The scream still found its way through, bringing me to my knees and causing my vision to fade to black.

When her screams stopped, I knew that the last of the fae were dead. My shield dropped, the well of power in my chest aching for more, more, more. The silence was startling, emphasizing how hollow death had made the world. Not knowing how long we had before either of us fainted, I grabbed Bronagh’s leg and willed us to Pike.

We landed in a heap, both of us hitting the stone floor of the infirmary with a painful thud. Screams of the injured made me wince, my still-ringing ears dripping blood.

“I am so sorry, Bell. I did not know what to do when I realized you were not retreating.” I shook my head, trying to assuage some of Bronagh’s guilt, but not able to form words just yet. She had saved my life, and I was more than grateful.

“Ranbir, I found him!” Noe’s voice was far too loud and far too close, nearly making me heave with the pain. But soon, cold hands were on my ears, the pain intensifying before it ebbed, my entire body going limp as the Healing power filled me.

When Ranbir was done, Lian shoved her way towards me, leaning down and slapping me across the face. It stung, the force of it snapping my head to the right. A hush filled the room, even most of the sounds of pain fading at the sight of their prince being smacked.

“You fucking idiot! Winona would kill you herself if she knew what you did. How dare you. What do you think Asher would do if she found out we left you for dead on a battlefield? Do you think she would survive your death, you moronic prick?” Her tone was full of far more emotion than she likely wanted, the fury not masking the fear and sadness that threatened to break free.

If only she knew that I was dead either way.

“I deserved that,” I said with a groan of pain. Cyprus laughed from his position against the wall, a cut on his forehead slowly bleeding. Luca was beside him, as he always was, but his face was far more serious. He shook it, glaring my way. “Family is supposed to love unconditionally. This feels much more like barely tempered hatred.”

Lian let out a noise that sounded close to a growl, standing up straight again. “They often go hand-in-hand.”

When she offered me help up, I took it, the ache in my body pulling a groan up my throat. Ranbir had begun working on Bronagh, though not much could be done for magic depletion other than rest. I turned to what remained of my Trusted, trying to catch all of their gazes.

“We help the medics where we can and then meet in the dungeons in an hour.” They all seemed confused but, after realizing how serious I was, nodded and got to work.

Time passed far quicker than expected, the bells chiming at the top of every hour signaling that three had passed rather than one. But the medics needed aid desperately, and they always insisted that the soldiers had a higher chance of survival if I was there to encourage them.

When we finished, the seven of us made our way down the winding stairs to the bottom floor, dark and dank and a form of torture in itself. I led the way, taking them to the final cell, gripping the iron bars as I approached. Farai sat on the cot, armor still on but helmet removed. His white hair matched his eyes, both glowing in the light of the distant Sun magic.

“What the fuck is that?” Noe’s words came out as both angry and confused, her voice startling Farai. He stood, hand on his sword and eyes roaming over our group. I imagined he was quite scared, though he did not tremble.

“His name is Farai, and he is not to be harmed,” I ordered, my voice firm.

Lian scoffed, her annoyance at the sight of a fae guard likely there to mask her growing rage. The kind that stemmed from loss.

Farai bristled, moving closer to the bars, his narrowed eyes scrutinizing us. “Where is she, demon?”

Though I expected him to ask and was prepared with an answer, it was Luca who spoke up, his voice surprisingly soft. “She is not here.”

The Shifter did not back down, his growing upset putting everyone on edge. Luca and Cyprus likely knew of Asher’s friends, as they were tasked with watching over her. But Noe, Lian, Damon, and Ranbir probably did not recall the name, as Asher had kept much to herself.

It was her way.

“They have not announced her absence, so how is it you are aware she is not still in The Capital?” Cyprus asked, suspicion heavy in his tone. The Shifter leaned from one foot to the other, his face full of sorrow.

“King Xavier told me before we came with that creature. He said that if I saw Asher, I was to approach her and rescue her. I was the only one told about her supposed abduction.” Noe and Lian both seemed to realize at the same time who this fae was, their jaws going slack as they stared at him.

Luca leaned towards Ranbir and Damon, giving them a whispered explanation, hasty and frank. Noe moved for the lock, grabbing it as if she were going to free the fae, but Lian quickly slapped her hand away, scowling up at the Moon.

“What is wrong with you? Just because he is Ash’s friend does not mean he is any less of a liability. Bell should not have brought him here in the first place.”

The two of them argued back and forth, tossing insults at each other and me, though I paid them no mind. Farai and I were both staring the other down, my head subconsciously tilting to the side as I thought through what he had said. The suspicion that was undoubtedly there. Something we could use to our advantage.

“You do not believe the story told to you by the royals.” Not a question, but a statement. I uttered it with enough conviction to silence everyone, all eyes moving to the fae behind the bars. For a moment, he did not speak, his gaze feeling as if it might burn right through me. But then, he answered.

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